Imelda Staunton's star has been shining so brightly of late that one might be forgiven for thinking her recent batch of nominations and awards was par for the course. Yet until her role as Vera Drake in Mike Leigh's gritty back-street-abortion drama (2004), Staunton's mantelpiece was restricted to a clutch of prestigious stage awards.

Elsewhere she has carved out a distinguished career as a character actor in British film. Her first starring role was as plain Jane Hartman in Antonia and Jane (1991), directed by Bridget Jones 2 director Beeban Kidron. From here she went on to bag some strong supporting roles, playing Mary Charleston in Peter's Friends (1992), Charlotte 'not very bright' Palmer in Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility (1995), Gwyneth's Paltrow's complicitous nurse in Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Lady Brown in Stephen Fry's Evelyn Waugh adaptation Bright Young Things (2003).

The trend is set to continue with a background part as Mrs Blatherwick in Emma Thompson's family fantasy Nanny McPhee, but Vera Drake may well see her top the bill more frequently. Watch this space.